Born and raised in the US Virgin Islands among swaying palm trees, beautiful flowers, and the aromas of exotic fruits, creator – Yoki Hanley grew up in a family tradition of natural remedies and knowledge of local plants and fruits and how their importance to our lives. It was with this knowledge that Yoki created itiba beauty; a product which was first created for her infant daughter who could not use commercial, mainstream soaps and other skin care products.
Yoki made her first soap with skin-loving oils like coconut, mango butter, lemongrass and lavender. After bathing her daughter with this soap for the first time, the change was dramatic – a tear free nightly bath and, for the first time since birth, a peaceful night’s sleep for mother and daughter. Yoki immediately knew she needed to share her knowledge with others and, over time, itiba, as a collection of natural products, was born.
“My children and grandchildren are still the first ones to test any and all products, and if for any reason one of them has an issue with the products, then it is scrapped. If they cannot use it, then I will not make it – it’s as simple as that.” – Yoki Hanley
Yoki’s commitment to using natural, minimally processed and/or unrefined butters and oils blended into the best unisex skincare products to come out of St. Croix is driven by her purpose to produce a unifying range of products for all skin types regardless of the color of their skin and the shape of their body –phthalate free, mineral oil free, silicone oil free and paraben free.